The present invention relates to a method of coding segmented pictures, or partitions, that correspond to a sequence of original pictures and identify in said pictures contours and closed regions to which corresponding labels are associated, said method comprising a first definition step for defining the time motion evolution of the partitions between two successive pictures and a second coding step for coding motion, contours and textures of said regions of successive partitions, and to a corresponding coding system. The invention also relates to a signal coded by means of such a coding system, to a storage medium for storing this coded signal, to a method of decoding said coded signal, and to a corresponding decoding system.
A method and apparatus for decomposing a signal corresponding to an original picture into components using features (such as contours and regions) identified in said picture and then coding separately said components is described for instance in the european patent application EP 0389044. However such a conventional method of coding segmented pictures has no flexibility with respect to the type of segmentation that has be obtained or to the type of coding for the different areas of the original pictures. Particularly these method and apparatus are not an appropriate technical proposition as a possible solution for the elaboration of the MPEG4 (Moving Picture Experts Group) audio visual coding standard which targets interactive multimedia applications at low and very low bit rates (the limit of which is generally considered as equal or close to 1 Mbit/s.).